Troy University Athletics
Former Trojan Brannon Condren Excited About Future In the NFL
4/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Brannon Condren's passion for playing football is obvious with the tone in his voice.
It's something NFL teams might have recognized during interviews.
Ultimately, it resonated the most with the Indianapolis Colts.
After waking up Sunday morning, Condren didn't have to wait long to start the party, following his fourth-round selection by the reigning Super Bowl champions.
"I'm just overwhelmed right now," said Condren, amid the jubliation at his parents' home in Cantonment, where the Tate High School graduate and Troy University standout safety watched the NFL Draft with family and friends.
"It's crazy," he said. "When the phone rang, I put the call on speaker phone, but everyone started freaking out, and I had to go into another room, because I couldn't hear."
Just hearing one sentence from Colts' head coach Tony Dungy was enough.
"Welcome to our team."
So he let that settle for a while.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said Condren, whose football career began when he joined the Ensley Chiefs youth league program at 6 years old. "It's crazy for me to even think about right now ... that I'm actually in the NFL, ready to play with these guys like (Colts safety) Bob Sanders (receivers) Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and (quarterback) Peyton Manning."
Condren, a two-year starting strong safety for Troy, was chosen by the Colts with the 32nd pick in the fourth round, player No. 131 overall. Following an almost 12-hour draft day Saturday, the selection process resumed Sunday morning with the fourth round and concluded with the seventh round.
Joe Anoai, an Escambia graduate and standout Georgia Tech defensive tackle, was not drafted. He likely will have pro football options as an NFL free agent or in the Canadian Football League, especially based upon his three-year success as a Yellow Jacket starter.
For Condren, what happened Sunday continues an amazing football odyssey.
He played in relative obscurity at Tate as the Aggies struggled on the field. He wanted to go to Florida State, but the Seminoles only offered a walk-on opportunity.
Without a solid Division I-A scholarship offer, Condren chose to walk on at Troy, where he believed he could get some quicker playing time. After two seasons at free safety, he was moved to strong safety prior to the 2005 season.
He thrived.
Condren's steady development began attracting notice. He opened eyes during his senior season with big games against FSU, Georgia Tech and Nebraska.
"I just kept working hard," Condren said. "Football is all I really wanted to do. I just love the game. I love to play. I love everything about football."
Aside from having rare, exceptional talent, a must for any player's NFL hopes, what also sells scouts and NFL coaches is how quickly they determine what football means to a player. You have to really love football, which is something Condren projects.
"Brannon Condren is a guy we feel fits perfectly for what we want to do," said Colts' president Bill Polian, who supervises the scouting and draft process. "He's a guy who is good at playing near the line of scrimmage and is a good hitter."
Contact is Condren's forte.
"I can't wait to get up there and just show 'em how I deserved to be picked," he said.
Condren's father, Jimmy, also was thrilled. When he was attending high school at Choctawhatchee, Jimmy's father had dreams of being a quarterback.
"That was my dad's dream. But I got involved in hot rods instead," said Jimmy Condren, who now owns a tire business. "Brannon did everything my father was hoping I could do.
"My dad died when Brannon was a freshman at Troy, but he did get to see him play. I know right now he's smiling down."
Brannon never stopped working toward his dream. He remained driven even through losing seasons at Tate, the lack of a major-college scholarship and scrapping for recognition at Troy.
Condren was not among the invitees to the NFL Scouting Combine, held in February -- ironically -- in Indianapolis. But that didn't slow him, either. He impressed NFL scouts during 10 separate visits, including one to the Colts, during the past two months.
"(Sunday) is a reward for all the hard work Brannon has put into football," Jimmy Condren said. "He has worked three to five hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. That's how much it meant to him. He never stopped working hard and believing in himself."
After Dungy welcomed Condren to his new team, he told him the expectations are for him to play immediately. He'll have All-Pro safety Bob Sanders as a mentor. As a fourth-round pick, the Colts chose Condren as a player who they expect to make their roster and contribute next season, even if on special teams.
Polian said the Colts targeted Condren as a player they seek to become their fourth safety.
"Being drafted is awesome itself, but going to the Super Bowl champions, that's probably the coolest thing about it," Condren said.
It's something NFL teams might have recognized during interviews.
Ultimately, it resonated the most with the Indianapolis Colts.
After waking up Sunday morning, Condren didn't have to wait long to start the party, following his fourth-round selection by the reigning Super Bowl champions.
"I'm just overwhelmed right now," said Condren, amid the jubliation at his parents' home in Cantonment, where the Tate High School graduate and Troy University standout safety watched the NFL Draft with family and friends.
"It's crazy," he said. "When the phone rang, I put the call on speaker phone, but everyone started freaking out, and I had to go into another room, because I couldn't hear."
Just hearing one sentence from Colts' head coach Tony Dungy was enough.
"Welcome to our team."
So he let that settle for a while.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said Condren, whose football career began when he joined the Ensley Chiefs youth league program at 6 years old. "It's crazy for me to even think about right now ... that I'm actually in the NFL, ready to play with these guys like (Colts safety) Bob Sanders (receivers) Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and (quarterback) Peyton Manning."
Condren, a two-year starting strong safety for Troy, was chosen by the Colts with the 32nd pick in the fourth round, player No. 131 overall. Following an almost 12-hour draft day Saturday, the selection process resumed Sunday morning with the fourth round and concluded with the seventh round.
Joe Anoai, an Escambia graduate and standout Georgia Tech defensive tackle, was not drafted. He likely will have pro football options as an NFL free agent or in the Canadian Football League, especially based upon his three-year success as a Yellow Jacket starter.
For Condren, what happened Sunday continues an amazing football odyssey.
He played in relative obscurity at Tate as the Aggies struggled on the field. He wanted to go to Florida State, but the Seminoles only offered a walk-on opportunity.
Without a solid Division I-A scholarship offer, Condren chose to walk on at Troy, where he believed he could get some quicker playing time. After two seasons at free safety, he was moved to strong safety prior to the 2005 season.
He thrived.
Condren's steady development began attracting notice. He opened eyes during his senior season with big games against FSU, Georgia Tech and Nebraska.
"I just kept working hard," Condren said. "Football is all I really wanted to do. I just love the game. I love to play. I love everything about football."
Aside from having rare, exceptional talent, a must for any player's NFL hopes, what also sells scouts and NFL coaches is how quickly they determine what football means to a player. You have to really love football, which is something Condren projects.
"Brannon Condren is a guy we feel fits perfectly for what we want to do," said Colts' president Bill Polian, who supervises the scouting and draft process. "He's a guy who is good at playing near the line of scrimmage and is a good hitter."
Contact is Condren's forte.
"I can't wait to get up there and just show 'em how I deserved to be picked," he said.
Condren's father, Jimmy, also was thrilled. When he was attending high school at Choctawhatchee, Jimmy's father had dreams of being a quarterback.
"That was my dad's dream. But I got involved in hot rods instead," said Jimmy Condren, who now owns a tire business. "Brannon did everything my father was hoping I could do.
"My dad died when Brannon was a freshman at Troy, but he did get to see him play. I know right now he's smiling down."
Brannon never stopped working toward his dream. He remained driven even through losing seasons at Tate, the lack of a major-college scholarship and scrapping for recognition at Troy.
Condren was not among the invitees to the NFL Scouting Combine, held in February -- ironically -- in Indianapolis. But that didn't slow him, either. He impressed NFL scouts during 10 separate visits, including one to the Colts, during the past two months.
"(Sunday) is a reward for all the hard work Brannon has put into football," Jimmy Condren said. "He has worked three to five hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. That's how much it meant to him. He never stopped working hard and believing in himself."
After Dungy welcomed Condren to his new team, he told him the expectations are for him to play immediately. He'll have All-Pro safety Bob Sanders as a mentor. As a fourth-round pick, the Colts chose Condren as a player who they expect to make their roster and contribute next season, even if on special teams.
Polian said the Colts targeted Condren as a player they seek to become their fourth safety.
"Being drafted is awesome itself, but going to the Super Bowl champions, that's probably the coolest thing about it," Condren said.
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